CSU-Pueblo faculty rallies against cuts

BY JEFF TUCKER
The Pueblo Chieftain

Published: December 17, 2013;Last modified: December 18, 2013 11:50AM

Dozens of Colorado State University-Pueblo faculty and supporters gathered at a fountain on campus, within view of the president’s office, to express their concerns over a proposal to cut up to 50 positions at the school.

Fawn Amber-Montoya, a professor of history at CSU-Pueblo holds her 8-month-old daughter Cecilia, as she addresses a crowd at a rally on budget cuts outside of the Belmont Campus in Pueblo Colo. on Dec.17, 2013. (John Jaques,The Pueblo Chieftain)

The group said cutting the positions would have a detrimental effect on the academic mission of the university and the repercussions would be felt throughout Pueblo and its economy.

While CSU-Pueblo President Lesley Di Mare’s office was a few yards away, the faculty members also turned their attention further north.

“Our president, Dr. Lesley Di Mare, has been stalwart in her work for CSU-Pueblo, but at the CSU (System) Chancellor’s request, decisions have already been made regarding the process for identifying proposed personnel cuts, all at a time of year when both faculty and students have left for the holiday break,” said Doug Eskew as he read from a prepared statement.

The group said it was upset that faculty wasn’t included in the process and that potential names already were submitted to deans by the time most people learned of the $3.3 million shortfall.

On Tuesday, the group asked Di Mare to be included in a process to find alternatives to eliminating jobs.

Di Mare disputed claims they weren’t included in the process but said she would consider any proposal that saved $3.3 million.

Many teachers at the university conduct research aimed at local topics and history professor Fawn-Amber Montoya, who also coordinates the university’s Chicano studies program, said faculty is concerned about that loss and the impact to academic programs.

Montoya was asked directly if the university, a Hispanic Serving Institution, was eliminating Chicano Studies.

She couldn’t give a specific answer, but said two of her professors were at or nearing retirement age.

The faculty group said it estimated that 50 jobs could mean a loss of $82,000 in taxes to the city and county. The lost spending within the community could mean another 19 private sector jobs.

The CSU-Pueblo cuts are set to go into effect in Fiscal Year 2015, which begins in July.

But even if the teachers discover their fate next month, it’s unlikely new jobs in higher education will be available.

“The hiring season for next year has more or less closed and most faculty positions have already been hired,” said Carol Loats, president of the American Association of University Professors in Pueblo.